Pope Francis says he will visit Iraq as a pilgrim of peace

Pope pays tribute to Iraqis who have suffered from years of violence

Pope shares 'pilgrim of peace' video message ahead of Iraq trip

Pope shares 'pilgrim of peace' video message ahead of Iraq trip
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On the eve of his historic trip to Iraq, Pope Francis paid tribute on Thursday to those who have suffered from years of violence, saying he came as a "pilgrim of peace".

In a video message, the Pope, 84, offered his hand to "brothers and sisters of other religions", but also highlighted the heavy toll paid by Iraq's Christian communities, saying there had been "too many martyrs".

"I long to meet you, to see your faces, to visit your land, ancient and extraordinary cradle of civilisation," the Pope said.

"I come as a pilgrim, a penitent pilgrim to implore forgiveness and reconciliation from the Lord after years of war and terrorism.

"I come as a pilgrim of peace in search of fraternity, animated by the desire to pray together and to walk together, also with the brothers and sisters of other religions," he said.

The Pope also tweeted his message: "Tomorrow I will go to #Iraq for a three-day pilgrimage. I have long wanted to meet those people who have suffered so much. I ask you to accompany this apostolic journey with your prayers, so it may unfold in the best possible way and bear hoped-for fruits."

The Pope, making his first foreign trip since the coronavirus pandemic swept Europe a year ago, will arrive in Iraq on Friday before embarking on a packed schedule of events through to Sunday.

From central Baghdad to the Shiite shrine city of Najaf, welcome banners featuring his image and Arabic title "Baba Al Vatican" already dot the streets.

From Ur, the birthplace of the Prophet Abraham in the southern desert, to ravaged Christian towns in the north, roads are being paved and churches refurbished.

Among the most extraordinary moments of the trip will be his one-on-one meeting with Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani, the highly reclusive cleric, who is the top religious authority for many of the world's Shiite Muslims.

Francis is fulfilling the dream of a predecessor, John Paul II, by visiting Iraq – despite a rampaging coronavirus epidemic and a surge in violence.

The security challenges were highlighted on Wednesday when a rocket attack hit a base where US-led coalition troops are stationed, which came after several weeks of escalating US-Iran tensions on Iraqi soil.

The Pope said on Wednesday that he was determined not to disappoint the Iraqi people.

But concerns over security and tight restrictions imposed to stop the spread of Covid-19 mean that most Iraqis will have to follow the trip on television.

Although the Pope enjoys being among his faithful, crowds at his events will be limited, while he will mostly travel in an armoured, covered car.

A woman walks near a poster of Pope Francis upon his upcoming visit to Iraq, in Baghdad, Iraq March 4, 2021. REUTERS/Teba Sadiq
A woman walks near a poster of Pope Francis upon his coming visit to Iraq, in Baghdad. REUTERS

Iraq's Christian community is one of the oldest and most diverse in the world, with Chaldeans and other Catholics making up about half, along with Armenian Orthodox, Protestants and others.

By 2003, when the US-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein, Christians made up about 6 per cent of Iraq's 25 million people.

But after years of bloodshed and departures, the numbers have fallen to just 400,000 today.

The Argentine Pope said he was "honoured to meet a martyred Church" and thanked them for their faith.

There had been "too many martyrs", he said, while survivors "have in your eyes the images of destroyed houses and desecrated churches, and in your hearts the wounds of loved ones left behind and homes abandoned".

He said the Roman Catholic Church that he leads "encourages you to go on".

Francis also paid tribute to the minority Yazidi community, "who have suffered so much".

Thousands of Yazidis were killed and women taken into sexual slavery when ISIS swept through Iraq in 2014.